Chopin's Fantaisie shows vast improvement
Smart debut winner CHOPIN'S FANTAISIE appeared to have made vast improvement, judging by his freshness and smooth hit-out on the right-handed Track 6 at Kranji yesterday morning.
Paced by stablemate KHUDAWAND, a last-start beaten favourite, Chopin's Fantaisie sailed through 600m in a smart 35.7sec and pulled up fresh as a daisy.
The Michael Clements-trained three-year-old New Zealand-bred should be able to hold his own in Sunday's Novice event over 1,400m, even though he will be meeting a fairly strong field, which includes fellow last-start winners Ottawa, Magic City and The Hangman.
There was a lot to like about Chopin's Fantaisie's debut victory on May 5. There is little doubt he is a horse who can go far.
Even winning jockey Vlad Duric was full of praise of the horse after his come-from-behind victory over the Polytrack 1,100m in a good time of 1min 04.74sec.
Calling Chopin's Fantaisie a big and lovely raw bugger, he noted that the horse would turn into a beautiful miler.
"He has got that gorgeous action and he'll develop into a nice horse for Michael and the connections," said Duric.
Praises aside, Chopin's Fantaisie has the blue-blood in him.
Being by Pins out of Golden Gamble, he is a full-brother to Hong Kong's multiple Group 1 winner and HK$58.7 million (S$10.5 million) stakes earner Ambitious Dragon.
Clements, who won the $300,000 Group 2 Stewards' Cup with Alibi last Sunday, has unearthed quite a number of good horses recently and Chopin's Fantaisie is certainly one of them.
Although the threats are there on Sunday, the bay gelding should run an honest race.
THE HANGMAN, who scored second-up for trainer Stephen Gray, also caught the eye yesterday morning.
Ridden by jockey Danny Beasley, The Hangman was striding out better than stablemate AURORA AUSTRALIS over 600m on the Polytrack in 38.7sec.
The James Peters-trained Ottawa won only last Sunday and will likely be kept fresh until race day, while the Laurie Laxon-trained Magic City is expected to gallop this morning.
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